130. Transfer Student and Christmas [7]
At the same time as the president announced the start of the Christmas party, a lot of dishes were brought in all at once.
Meat dishes, assorted vegetables, seafood, soups, fruits, and chock full of other high class feeling dishes I don’t even know the name of.
(…It smells good.)
A smell which stimulates one’s appetite flowed in from all around.
(But if you bring in such delicious dishes all at once, people will flood to it…)
I took a step back and looked around, all the students seemed to be calm.
Those chatting with friends.
Those asking for a drink.
Those who arranged a modest amount of food on a plate.
A very calm and mild air, and the commotion I had expected was nowhere to be seen.
(…If I think about it, it’s only natural.)
Everyone here was born a noble or are from respectable families.
They must be used to this kind of buffet style party.
I felt the『difference in experience』.
In the middle of that situation,
「I-It’s here, Allen! Let’s eat quickly before it goes away!」
The most prestigious『Princess』in this place seemed to be unable to hide her excitement in front of the food before her.
「Fufu. Aa, let’s go.」
I followed her as she walked with quick steps, and picked up a plate from the pile on a desk.
(This is a very expensive plate, isn’t it…?)
It was as shiny as a mirror, and a golden arabesque pattern was drawn around the edge.
To be honest, I don’t know the value of these things, but I’m sure it’s very high.
(I mustn’t drop it… even by accident…)
Slightly nervously, I arranged a well balanced serving of vegetables and meat on my plate.
While Ria’s plate was stacked with quite heavy-looking Ramzacs.
Rose was focused on vegetables and her favourite sweet desserts.
Whereas, Claude-san simply piled up all kinds of meat.
Each of our personalities emerged on our plate.
After that, we gathered in a place with fewer people and started filling our stomachs.
「This vegetable is pretty fresh! What a great taste!」
「Nn…! Ramzac is the best after all!」
「This ice cream has just the right sweetness!」
「Hou, this meat is not bad.」
Then, a classy orchestra started playing while everyone was eating with relish.
Looking at them, I saw many musicians playing a wide variety of musical instruments on the stage.
「This is… It’s the fourth movement of the Reeveshive Symphony.」Ria said, just from hearing the overture.
「Oh, are you familiar with that?」I asked.
「Fuu, of course! Ria-sama is a talented woman who has acquired all kinds of education from all over the world!」Claude-san, cutting in from the side, said very proudly.
She looked very happy, probably because her lord was praised.
After that, there were many things, such as chatting while listening to a live performance by a famous band in Orest, the appearance of a huge Christmas cake, and the emergency order of dishes because Ria ate too much. We had all around a really good time.
An hour passed since the start of the party.
「Well, let’s start the long awaited『Great Exchange』!」
The president, who went up to the stage in the far end of the large auditorium, loudly declared so.
At the same time, the curtain of the stage went up slowly, and a lot of presents appeared.
All of them were those brought by us.
「That’s quite the number…」
The first years brought in 180 presents, which equates to, 540 presents from all students.
(It’s called a great exchange, but are they planning to allocate it…?)
It takes a considerable amount of time to distribute them one by one.
「-First of all, everyone from Year 1 Class A, please gather in front of the stage.」
The president’s beautiful voice echoed through the hall.
「So, our class is the first?」
「Hmm, I’m looking forward to see what kind of presents we’ll get!」
「Aa, yeah.」
I walked to the stage while talking with Ria.
There were ten boxes in front of the stage that read『lottery box』.
「Each lottery box contains a numbered lot. The present with the same number as that number will be yours.」
Looking closely, the presents on the stage were affixed with a numbered paper.
「I see, it’s completely random.」
「Yeah, it looks like it is.」
Then, we each drew a lot from the lottery box.
The number I drew was 41.
「Class A, you’ve finished drawing lots, haven’t you? Then, hold the lot above your head.」
As the president instructed, everyone in the class raised the lottery above their head.
And the next moment,
「「「Wow!」」」
Thirty presents danced in midair.
(This is… a manipulation-type soul dress.)
Scanning around, there was a female student holding a thin sword on the stage sleeve.
Apparently, this seems to be her ability. A wrapped box flew towards me.
「…And this is mine.」
I picked up the present that was affixed with『41』.
(Eh, this wrapped box is…?)
It seemed a little familiar.
(…Let’s just open it for the time being.)
When I carefully removed the packaging and slowly opened the box, there was a hand-sized stuffed animal.
(I don’t know what to say… It is exquisitely ugly.)
Probably a stuffed tiger… No, a fox?
(I wonder if this is the thing that’s called『adorably ugly』in the streets…?)
When I was looking at the stuffed animal, while holding such a complex thought,
「Nee, perhaps this is… Allen’s present?」Ria asked, tilting her head, a wooden sword in her hand
「That’s… There’s no doubt about it. It’s the wooden sword I bought.」
The reason I was able to say that with confidence is because of the wrapping box placed at her feet.
There is only one in the world – it’s the wrapping box I made.
At the shop where I purchased the wooden sword,「Can you please wrap the present?」I asked the employee,「Well, that’s not possible…」 he refused, so I had no choice but to handcraft it.
「Fufu, as expected! Only Allen will choose a wooden sword as a present!」
「I-Is that so?」
Is she praising me, or…?
「Thank you, I’ll cherish it!」she said, and looked at the wooden sword happily.
She seems to like it.
「Aa, I’d be happy if you would… And perhaps, this is Ria’s?」
I showed her the strange stuffed animal I just got.
A unique sense that is detached from the general public.
It’s the same wrapping box that Ria had.
I’m almost certain that it’s Ria’s present.
「Ah, it’s my bear!」
「…Bear?」
「Yes. While looking for a present, I found a stuffed bear. He is cute, isn’t he?」
「A-Aa…」
This yellow ugly thing… is a bear?
When I was staring seriously at the stuffed animal at hand,
「But, how did you know? That this was the present I chose.」Ria asked, tilting her head.
「Aa, this ugl-… Ahem. The only person who would choose a distinctive stuffed animal like this is Ria.」
「Fufu, it’s a good present, isn’t it?」
「Aa, thank you. I’ll take care of it.」
It’s a present that clearly stands out poorly from the rest, but… if it’s a present from Ria, then it’s a different story.
I’ll display it at the most prominent spot of my room.
「But what are the odds right…」
We exchanged presents with each other from a pool of 540 presents brought in by all students.
「Fufu, truly…」Ria said, with a delighted expression.
Then, after the exchange, we showed the presents we got to each other and became even more excited.
After that, the president, who was moving around here and there since the party began, climbed up to the stage again when the clock hand pointed to 8pm.
「Ahem. Well then, everyone! The Great Exchange is over, and it is about time to start today’s main event! Annual tradition『Dokidoki! Coupling Battle!』」
The moment she said so,
「YOSHAAAAAA!! It is finally here!」
「A-Allen-kun is quite popular, isn’t he?」
「What are you talking about? A Woman Is Courage! Don’t become easy!」
「Uh, I am not easy…」
「Heh! I’m going for Ria-sama! These feelings can’t be stopped anymore!」
「Wow, that’s probably the one with the highest mortality rate. Try your best not to get killed by Allen-kun.」
The second and third year students were suddenly excited.
「Dokidoki? Coupling?」
「What’s that?」
It seems that only us first years were unable to grasp the situation.
(This feeling… It’s a lot like『Thousand Blade Shadow Festival』…)
The president just said『Annual tradition』.
Therefore, this situation where second years and third years grasped the outline, and only we first years were confused, was created.
(Even so… What kind of event is it? )
When I was thinking about such a thing, I happened to lock eyes with the president.
She noticed me, and waved her hand slightly from side to side with a very sweet smile.
(Aa, I see… This is it.)
Apparently,『Dokidoki!? Coupling Battle!』was her real target.
(Now that I think about it… The president was busy moving around all the time during this party…)
I also haven’t seen any of the other student council members, Lillim senpai and Ferris senpai.
I’m guessing… While everyone was entertained, there was some kind of『set up』being prepared behind the scenes of the Christmas party.
(I need to be cautious…)
The time was already 8 o’clock at night.
In terms of time, this should be the last big event of the Christmas party.
(Fuu… can’t be helped, let’s do it…)
This was an academy event, and above all, the president and others have been carefully preparing this.
If I refuse to participate, it will be very troublesome later on.
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